THE ART OF BREGUET
Geneva, Hotel Des Bergues, Apr 14, 1991
LOT 46
A l'Abbé Dieudonné Watch No. 2301, sent to the Russian agent on 22 July 1809, sold for the sum of 2000 Francs, according to the accounts of Moreau, dated 1 May 1810. Small gold and enamel watch with quarterrepeating.
CHF 50,000 - 60,000
Case: 18 ct., four body, by Tavernier, No. 2800,
decorated with grey translucent enamel over an
engine-turned ground, with gold paillon border
and a rosette on the back. Gold cuvette signed: "
Breguet et Fils, No. 2301".
Dial: Engine-turned gold, with grey translucent
enamel, and a radial pattern of gold paillons,
Roman numerals. Gold Breguet hands.
Movement: Gilt brass, full plate caliber, the back plate signed: "Breguet, No. 2301", with turned
pillars, fusee and chain, ruby cylinder
escapement, three-arm plain brass balance, with
parachute on the top pivot. Blued-steel flat balance
spring. Repeating on gongs by a pull-twist piston
through the pendant.
In very good condition, with later green leather
fitted case, made by Maison Chaumet.
In good condition.
Diam. 39 mm.
Notes
Note: As has been previously noted, watches by Breguet with enamelled cases are extremely rare. This particular example would appear to be the only one known with the dial decorated in the same manner as the case. Furthermore, it is amongst the smallest examples of a quarterrepeating watch to be produced at the time. In the Revue de I'lnstitut Napoléon, the late Claude Breguet wrote an article entirely dedicated to Abraham Breguet et sa Maison de Russie - Documents inédits (1807 - 1811). The article is particularly interesting, for it contains previously unedited information about, what Breguet customarily called, La Maison de Russie, a term which covered all his commercial operations in Russia, and not only, as has often been thought, his sales to the Russian Court. In 1807, as a result of Napoleon's embargo, all trade with England was banned, and the market for luxury goods amongst the first to suffer. With sales of` both watches and clocks diminishing in an alarming fashion, Breguet decided to send Lazare Moreau, usually called Zarenne, and a young and active salesman, to establish new contacts in the East. He visited Russia, the surrounding sovereign states and the Headquarters of the Grand Army. In Russia, Breguet's work had been well received for some time, the Czar Alexander I already owning watches brought back by his various Ambassadors, and Moreau was able to secure an audience at court which resulted in his appointment as Horloger de Sa Majesté et de la Marine Impériale. With the renewal of hostilities between Russia and France and the disastrous retreat by Napoleon in 1812, Breguet had to accept the closure of his Maison de Russie, and it was only after the Restoration that he was able to again restart his direct trade with the Empire. In the meantime, he was represented by Wenham in St. Petersburg and Ferrier in Moscow, the latter in fact being the leading horologist in the capital and his strongest competition before Moreau set up La Maison Russie.